The Ring
by slekwati
Summary: What would happen if a human female was kept captive as well? Based on an episode of 'Angel', Season 1 'The Ring' . Rated T for language.
1. A New Student

**The Ring**

_A/N: This is my third fan-fiction and again, I must say, reviews will help! This one's basically based on the an episode of Angel, season 1 episode 16 (The Ring) and is my vision on what could have happened. I hope it's good._

_Disclaimer:__If any of the Angel/Buffy characters belonged to me, I wouldn't be writing really bad fan-fiction. A spin-off would be on the way. But they doesn't. Maybe someone should contact Joss for me..._

She was keeping tabs of everyone's kills. Trepkos had 17. In 4 fights, he'd be free. He wouldn't be the first that she would see go. Being there for near a year, she'd learnt about all different types of demons. And she knew he defiantly wouldn't be the last.

She didn't know what time it was. Day and night seemed to merge in a big blury fuzz. The fights used to only happen during the night, but now with the newer demons, and with most people having night jobs in L.A, a few fights also happened in the mornings.

Cribb murmured to a few of his temporary buddies. He was told he was going to fight one of the newer demons tonight, one who had 4 kills so far. Not the highest, but the lowest either. She had none.

A brown, wrinkly demon (an Ildhok demon she supposed. 10 wins) had a smug look on it's face, a few sniggers coming from behind him. He approached the newbie, a swager in his step, a glint in his green, snake like eye. He smiled and whispered into his ear. The newbies eyes sparked with fear, then determination.

"Yeah?," he shouted, not to the Ildhok demon, but to Cribb, who seemed amused by the scene he was making. Even the isolated demon (5 wins), seemed to be amused by this. And he didn't speak any language known to any of us, "Well, when I'm through with you, you won't need to go to hell. I'll've put you in there!" A desperate attempt to scare his foe. Everyone knew what Cribb told the Ildhok to say. That in 6 more fights, he'ld be out of there. 5 more thanks to him.

The laugh from around the room was quietened when they entered. The captivators. Every time they entered, she unconsciously touched her band. XXI was printed along it, same as everyone elses. She had once thought that if she collected enough water, she could rust the thing off of her. It only resulted in her getting knocked out for a day or two and getting a new band put on. Some spell was put on it. They had knew.

A group started to form before the red line which held us all captive. Some demons murmured to each other, interest and glee obviously showing in the way a few laughed heartily. A zap from the cattle prod put an end to that.

Wondering what was going on, she got up, tucking her brown coloured hair behind the black hoodie she wore, and watched carefully from one of the darkest corners that would allow her to see the event. Ans an event it was.

A tall, dark haired, fairly handsome vampire was dragged along by the two guards who worked for the MacNamara brothers. He put up no trouble. He was out cold. His brown hair was gelled, yet almost damp from the way he had been taken in (the sewers perhaps?) and messed up slightly. A sign that he had struggled before he had been knocked out, probably with enough electricity to run L.A for the day.

His limp body was thrown to the floor. The band was placed around his arm (carefully over the line), and fell on the floor with a dull thud. She looked at the vampire, his face looking completely relaxed, and she was slightly confused. Did vampires nerve systems still work?

"Good afternoon, boys and girl!" The eldest MacNamara brother shouted to the group unnecessarily to the group who were less than a meter away from him, "It seems we have a new student."


	2. Gossip and Assumptions

He was out for the remainder of the night, the unidentifiable substances now creating a fowl stench on his clothing. But being unconscious, this didn't bother him. In his 2 and nearly half centuries of living, he had smelt much worse places, such as the filthy streets of Galloway, his home town.

A lot of talk had formed about the vampire in the few hours he had been there. Some said he was a creature to be feared, not only by humans, but by demons themselves. Other's said that he was in contact with demons in high place back in his evil days.

"Whatdoyamean?" Crib asked, eyebrow raised.

"I heard he was one of the right hand men to that old vampire. The Leader or something like that."

"'The Leader'? Did you hatch backwards? It's The Master. And we ain't talking no Chinese Kung-Fu crap. No… this guy was _The _Master. The one vampire everyone bowed down to. Till the slayer came along a bet the crap out of him-"

She had tuned out from that part onwards. The demons had gone onto things she had no clue about. She had accepted long ago that demons, witches and other supernatural things had existed. But by now, the territory they had crossed had past the line that she had for her supernatural knowledge. 'The Master's name is one she did not know of. Neither of 'The Slayer'. But what she did pick up on was that the vampire had obtained a soul from gypsies. And that he had now stopped slaughtering and fought for the humans. This made her wonder what he ate. Didn't vampires depend on blood? And if so, did it matter where it was sourced from?

The interest in the vampire seized to nothing and the demons instead talked about the upcoming fights. But she continued to think. What if his hunger suppressed him into eating her? Of all the demons she had saw come here, the vampires died out the quickest. So why did she think that this case would be different? Something told her it was. But what?

She sat in her cell, watching the vampire carefully, seeing if in his slumber, he could leave her clues about himself. He hadn't moved any limbs, but she could see his chest rising and falling slightly. If he didn't need air, did he breathe to fit in with humans? Would they not already know that he wasn't evil? And the demons did say he helped kill 'The Master' with 'The Slayer', the women whom he fell in love with. If he did this, then he mustn't be evil. And if he wasn't evil, then he wouldn't kill any of the demons surrounding him, even if it was a fight for his un-life. If she was able to be in 1 fight for the past 10 months without dying, so could he. He was stronger than her… right?


	3. How to lay groundrules and make deals

**[A/N]: **Sorry it took so long you guys! I had so many plans for this fanfiction, I didn't know which to exitcute. But you will NOT be disappointed (I hope) as I'm planning a series! That's for all the reviews and encouragement! I love you guys! Lots!

* * *

Angel groaned. His head was killing him. Those damn fake clients! You had to hate them. A simple waste of time when you had helpless clients who _actually_ required help. So the phrase wasn't exactly... 'cutting edge' did Cordelia say? But it was good enough. It got the point through.

But that wasn't the point. The point of the matter was the fact that those guys had brought him here for some reason. Where ever here was. He inhaled, even though it wasn't needed. The sent was unrecognisable. He had no clue where he was. But what he did know, was that there were demons. And lots of them. Some of the species were recognisable. Other not so much. And there was a human. And they would need his help.

* * *

He was getting up. She had been there for a while, watching him sleep, contemplating what her plan of action would be. How she would exit this place, and kill off who had put her here. This made her smile. She had never killed anyone - but the blood she would had seen here was enough. And so was the taste for revenge.

He instantly went into battle mode, keeping carefully infront of her.

"Stay back," he said in a low, deep american voice, "I'll take care of this."

Cribb and the other demons looked up, glaring at the vampire in confusion, then laughing. Laughing _hard_.

"Look at him! Tryin' to protect the bitch! What an idiot!"

She glared. They had called her a bitch before. But it still didn't stop her from wanting to go on the offence and throw back a few names and quips. Ass wipes.

It was then it dawned on her. He had protected her. Well - he was trying to protect her. He must be good. It was only fair that she return the favour. She got up, tapped his shoulder and whispered, "I'm fine. You should sit down. Before they start to think you _really_ want a fight."

* * *

He was confused, his guard still up, but glaring at the demons, then the woman, who had a UCLA hooded sweater on that was a few sizes too big, and worn out jogging trousers that were torn at the bottom. Her brown hair was straggly, hanging limply round her face

"What's going on?" he asked, finally droping his arms, deciding that the welcoming smile the woman held was trust worthy enough.

She shrugged, "All I know is that you were unconscious when you got here." She pointed to the other demons, who by now had lost their interest in him and turned to gossip with each other, discussing their tactic's for getting out of here - who was their main target kills and who should kill the 'new guy'. Like they would be able to, "They told me the rest."

He glared at her, "What do you mean 'the rest'?"

"That you're a vampire. And that you're not evil. And you have a soul, " she shrugged again, "Things like that. But look - if you want to stay alive, or undead here, you have to draw the least amount of attention as possible. As you've just arrived, you'll probably have your first fight tonight. So be ready." She watched him for a while, looking at him take it all in, "I'll explain fully if you sit down."

He looked at her carefully, realising that she was on his side - but she still had a smell on her. The smell off Wolfram and Hart. He sat all the same, having her sit next to him.

"Firstly..."she offered her hand, "I'm Harry."

Hesitating, he notticed the bracelet round her wrist, marked with a XXI, the roman numerals for 21, then shook her hand, noting the fact that he and the other demons wore the same, "Angel."

* * *

She missed the interaction with others - the demons here managed to avoid her altogether - especially when she was PMSing. She smiled to him though, relishing the fact that he was wanting to talk to her, "I guess I should tell you 'bout this place. Maybe lay down some general ground rules too."

He nodded, "That would be helpful."

She started talking. Fast. She wasn't used to talking - having had minimal conversation with the others for about a year now - but when the words started to form, the flooded out, leaving Angel stunned as to how a person could speak so fast. Her talent was to speak after all. Validictorian at her graduation. Lawyer at Wolfram and Hart. Ex-lawyer at Wolfram and Hart. She guessed she lost her job since she had a moral standing and they sent her to this place. It was obvious the client she was defending had killed those children. He had told her himself, with a smug smile on his face. And when she told Lindsay, he had said only one thing was important. To win. Cock it up, and she'd be in hell. She had walked out then - in the middle of court. And this is how she's here. They're revenge.

"At all costs, keep away from the red line. I saw one guy try to escape once - he vanished. Disintegrated to be exact. But it's all the same in a way.

"Keep your eyes down, don't talk to anyone - they can and will hurt you. But they won't kill you. Not till it's their time in the ring. The aim of this is - 21 kills, you're free to go. Outsiders place bets on us to see who'll win. We fight and try not to disappoint, " she pointed out a lizzard demon to him, "He's the 'leader' figure of the group. Everyone listens to him. Well...everyone who wants to kiss ass listens to him. So I would tell you to watch what you are doing. They keep it close knit here, less your a newbie. Fights every night and every morning. Fight plays till someone dies."

"Have you killed anyone?"

She looked at him. Then shook her head, looking at her feet and talking mainly to herself, "No. I fought - but didn't kill. I kinda...dodged him alot. I can't fight you see - I don't know how I managed though..."She snorted, "Probably 'cause I was desperate enough you know? Somehow, I dodged. Long enough for the guy to have built momentum. Short enough for to not realise what I've done. I jumped away and he crashed into a wall. Knocked himself out. They threw a knife at me. Shouted 'Killing Blow!' over and over. But I didn't. I couldn't. I sat away from the body and waited. The spectators got pissed, so the guards knocked me out, left me there. But turned out it would be hours before the other guy woke up. So I got to go bac intact as there were other fights to be faught." She looked back at him, her brown eyes staring into his old and wise ones, "But if you want anymore of my help, and you truly are good - do what I done. Don't kill the guys. Any of them. Then you'll gain my trust."

He smiled to her feebly, "I think that that's a pretty fair deal."


End file.
